$54B housing, transportation bill goes down in partisan Senate vote

A proposed measure that would increase funding for housing and transportation programs from $48.4 billion to $54 billion has failed to clear the Senate, with a vote of 54-43, short of the 60 votes needed to move it toward a final vote. Republicans in the House chose not to advance their own transportation and housing bill, which leaves the Senate only nine days to come up with a new bill once it returns from summer recess.